Graduates may get into Poundland - graduate jobs

Discount retailer Poundland has announced an expansion plan for the UK and 81% extra profits for the year to March 31, signalling good news for graduates.

It said it wants to open 50 more shops, providing around 2,000 job vacancies - sure to include managerial roles of interest to university leavers looking for retail posts.

Based in Willenhall, West Midlands, Poundland employs around 7,500 people and runs 263 shops across the UK.

The firm pocketed £21.5 million in profits and opened 56 new shops during the last financial year.

Around three million people buy something from Poundland every week, the company said, adding that some of its best-sellers are Mars Maltesers, Johnson and Johnson cotton buds and Kodak batteries.

Chief executive Jim McCarthy said: "Market research shows the UK will take 800 Poundland stores, so we have several more years of growing. We get an immediate response when we open a new store and by taking a lower margin than most retailers we build on value rather than profit.

"The standard of the displays in store and the service is much better than people anticipate."

In June, private equity firm Warburg Pincus bought over the company, which sells household, food, health and beauty products.